The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-07-02


Then they all pulled with a will, and
clang that almost deafened them
came from the bell.
Sleeping Cherryfeld was aroused in
very few minutes, and asked in
amazement what was the matter.
The new fire engine was taken out
with a rush and clamor. But where
was the fire? People ran wildly about,
and nobody seemed to know.
The most mystifed man was old San
dy Movie, who rushed out of the house
IN maze of bewilderment, and de-
elared that the bell was bewitched.
How else could it ring without a
tongueP And how could any human
creature get into the church when the
door was securely locked, and no win
dow broken, as anybody might see.
And still the bell rang wildly and
DANGEROUSLY, as such sober-minded
old church-bell was never known to
ring before. The spirit of half dozen
Fourths of July seemed to possess it.
People on the outskirts of the town
began to think that the selectmen had
repented of not celebrating the Fourth,
and were making amends by celebrat-
ing the fifth, and they came hurriedly
driving into the village to see what
was the matter
At length somebody more courageous
than Sandy Movie insisted upon going
into the church to investigate, and
Sandy went to get the key. The dis
covery that it was gone put new face
upon the matter, and Sandy's suspicious
reverted to the boys whose plans he
overheard, and he volunteered to break
open a window and lead the search.
Rosy Movie at that time was pulling
the bed-clothes over her head, and Won
dering what Would become of her, and
resolving never again to touch key or
any thing else that she had no right to,
for all the candy in the world. Candy
was good, but, oh, how bad was the
terror she was suffering now!
And Rosy is not likely to forget her
resolve, although she was never found
out The boys agreed that they would
never be so mean as to tell of a girl,
anyway, "and they were always suppos-
ed to have stolen the key from Sandy
Movies closet themselves.
When they heard the footsteps of their
rescuers, the boys ceased to ring the
bell.
1t was easy enough to open the trap
door from beneath. While the boys
were wondering anxiously whether il
ever could be opened, Sandy McVie's
head popped up out of it like Jack
in-the-box.
Rob's father came next, and Rob
who meant to fight Indians-threw his
arms around his neck and-eried.
Rob's father had suffered some anx.
iety about him, but thought that he
had stayed at Brownsville with True
Everybody agreed that the boys had
been sufficiently punished by their inn
prisonment and the loss of their Fourth
of July fun. Even Sandy McVie said
"he guessed they wouldn't be so dread.
full apt to do it again" But he may
have been somewhat softened by the
compliments which True paid him on
his skill in hiding the bell-tongue.
The boys didn't care to say much
about their adventure. They felt as il
the trick they had tried to play had
been turned upon themselves.
When True's Brownsville cousins
asked him what kind of a Fourth he
had, he replied, carelessly:
"Oh, sky-high one!"
Which was certainly truer than the
cousins, who had their own opinion Of
Cherryield celebrations, believed.
But those three boys will never ring
another church bell without leave
Sophia SWett, IN Golden Days.